The Reactive Ion Etching of Tantalum Silicide/Polysilicon Bilayers in Silicon Tetrachloride and Hydrogen Chloride

Bilayer structures of and poly‐Si have been patterned with good resolution using either an or an plasma. End‐point detection and diagnostics were carried out by optical emission spectroscopy, laser reflectometry, and mass spectrometry. Either an oxygen plasma or Caro's acid were used for resist stripping. Structures that had apparently been cleanly stripped were etched in to remove the remaining and Si. Residues remaining after this treatment provide strong evidence for a sidewall protection mechanism of anisotropic etching.